Quest for the Dark Sonata
by Lumy-chan
Summary: During the Nostrad's visit to Mirea Gadelica for the Cultural Event, Senritsu gets some clues regarding the Dark Sonata. The Cultural Events proves to be full of trials. Kurapica joins her in her quest.  Original Villain


**Disclaimer:** HunterXHunter belongs to Yoshihiro Togashi (my personal god).

**About translations:** HunterXHunter is probably the most difficult anme I've seen in regarding translations. There are frequent translation mistakes regarding names, attacks, abilities, locations, items and just about everything else that's not standard japanese. Because of this, I've decided to go mainly with the translation that I have in my anime; it's a fan translation, but extreamly accurate, as they mostly tried to translate things the way they were said in Japanese. For example, Hisoka's ability was directly translated as Bungee Gum and not as Elastic Love and Genei Ryodan was kept instead of translating it to Phantom Troupe. Because of this, I decided to keep the name from the anime concerning Senritsu's object of search: Dark Sonata. The japanese name for it is, if I'm not mistaken, "Yami no Sonata", which can also be translated as "Sonata of Darkness". If anyone thinks the latter is more apropriad, please tell me (I'll only accpet suggestions from someone who actually knows japanese).

**Note:** This fic centers mainly around Senritsu; she's the star of the show here. Kurapica is there to act as the suporting character. Also, the villain in this fic will be an Original Character (OC). I shall post up his profile sometime later on in the story. Other minor characters may pop up to help with the plot.

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><p><strong>Clue X Event X Mirea Gadelica<strong>

The sun shone brightly in the city known as the Cultural Capital, Mirea Gadelica. In the middle of spring, when the lilies and roses, typical of this city, bloomed, the cultural wonder found itself host to the Cultural Festival, a world-wide known event where the city became host to thousands of historians, musicians, actors, singers, painters, sculptures and many other forms of art and entertainment. The majority of these were experimental and new and artists found their golden opportunity to show their innovative ideas in the festival, making it a place where dreams came true or were crushed under competition. For artists, the greatest possible rewards was recognition, the second was money. Both were the main targets of the people that gathered all over the streets, inside the buildings, in rooms, oratorios, stages and show rooms.

Not only was it a place where the new and hopeful and the eccentric and creative would gather, but also the masters that dominated the world of the arts to come and preformed for the insanely rich and to assert their positions in the world as the best, crushing the hopes of those who wish to rob them of their respective tittles.

It because of the immense list of concerts, operas and plays that the Nostrad family found itself in a small, but very luxurious mansion in the outside, rich suburbia of Mirea Gadelica. The Nostrad family had fallen greatly due to the loss of Neon's prophetic abilities and the head of the family had since then relied of the valuable and most accurate advice and management of none other than Kurapica.

It was late at night and the blond kuruta left a room and stepped out to the corridor, closing the door behind him. Another day trying to calm the panic of Light Nostrad as he was pressured by the more influential mafia bosses. He sighed, tired. His ears were slightly ringing and it bothered his head, making a light confusion fog his thoughts. He needed sleep and maybe in the morning things would be a little less hectic. As he walked the corridor to his room he noticed two things: the first was the time from a beautiful hanging clock: 2 in the morning. The second was the sound of keyboard tapping coming from one of the many rooms of the mansion. Kurapica decided to take a quick look only to find Senritsu using the computer, her thoughts concentrated on the monitor, illuminated only by a lamplight on the desk.

"Senritsu? What are you doing this late at night?" Kurapica asked as he entered the room with curiosity. Senritsu rarely used the computer or any means of technology, now that Kurapica thought about it, except for cell phones and others small devices essential to the working for a Hunter. But for her to be using the computer and the net, picked Kurapica's curiosity.

When he came close enough, she let out a small sigh and turned to face him, her eyes just as tired as his were.

"Oh, I was just checking something." She said in her lovely, melodic voice as she turned her sights back on the computer screen and her expression changed to troubled again.

Kurapica regarded her, but said nothing and waited. He could tell she was debating over something, whether to share something she had in her mind with him or let the subject slide. Kurapica shifted his gaze to somewhere else in the room, trying to make Senritsu more comfortable that way, but it seems he didn't need to.

She turned to him finally and told him what was on her mind.

"I received mail with a tip about the Dark Sonata, but it's very vague. I've been searching the databases for new information since." She told him, making Kurapica come slightly closer to the desk. She turned to him with an apologetic smile. "I think I lost track of time, then."

Kurapica offered a smile back, but turned to the question in hand, "What was the information they sent you? Anything that could be used?"

Kurapica knew about Senritsu's quests, which in a way similar to his own task of retrieving the Scarlet Eyes of his people. In Senritsu's case, the search for the cursed music sheet entitled "The Dark Sonata" had led her to become a Tune Hunter to pursue and destroy the legendary item. Finding, however, proved to be ranked very high in terms of difficulty according to the Hunter site.

So the coming of news about the items was definitely something to look forward to and be hopeful about, even if it is fairly vague.

"The mail said that the last time the Dark Sonata was ever spoken of was here, in Mirea Gadelica, during another Cultural Event some years ago. No specific date, no names, nothing specific. Just that same rumor. The sender also suggested it might be possible to find some scarce clues about it in this years' Event, thought the odds are very low…"

Kurapica took a minute to process this information and then suggested, "The boss and especially his daughter are going to be attending only a couple of events, but they'll be staying in Mirea Gadelica until the very last day of the event." Senritsu turned to regard him with curiosity.

"That means when we're not on guard duty, we're free to wonder the streets and pursue our own leisure time as we see fit. In other words, we can dedicate the time when we're not doing our jobs to finding your item."

Senritsu's face light up with hope. Kurapica smiled sincerely at her. "You helped me greatly in York Shin. Let me take the chance to repay you back by helping you this time." Not only as a matter of repaying Senritsu, but Kurapica wanted to help. Not only was he struck by the woman's personal story the first time he had heard it, but he had developed a close friendship of trust with the woman; it had been one of the very few times he had opened up his heart to someone. Yes, he wanted to help because he considered her a friend.

Senritsu found herself listening to a beautiful, calm and warm melody coming from Kurapica's heartbeat; she smiled and nodded lightly, accepting Kurapica's help. "In that case, let's both do our best to find what we can during the event.

With that, Senritsu turned off the computer as Kurapica convinced her that it was probably best to get a good night sleep first and then resume information search tomorrow.

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><p>Senritsu found Kurapica in the morning eating breakfast in the small room reserved for employees of the Nostrad family to use for menial tasks, like meals or gathering information. He sat at a round table beautifully decorated with a center piece and half filled with several pretty china containing an assortment of foods used for breakfast. The table was near the wall featuring high windows draped on the sides with silken red curtains and showing a view of the center of Mirea Gadelica.<p>

He held a cup of tea on one hand and an intricate brochure on the other as he read. Several other pamphlets lay neatly stacked on the table near him. Senritsu joined him for breakfast and picked up one of the pamphlets.

"What are all these?" she asked as she took a look at several publicity announcements to small events taking place around the city.

"Some I've gathered myself over the course of the previous days, some were selected specifically for Neon and her father to attend." He took another sip before he returned to his reading and explanation. "It seems that most group performers, high and low, prefer to advertise their shows and performances and hand these out to the public or send them by mail to attract as much attention as possible."

"They're most likely trying to get the attention of a patron that will take them under their wing, providing money for them to improve their skills and talents and in return the patrons get to show off their discoveries and progress." She poured some orange juice into a delicate cut and looked at the several baked goods in front of her until she chose one to have that morning, before continuing her explanation.

"You could say it's the same as collectors: just as they wish to show off their collection of items, influential people around the world feel the need to demonstrate that they too care for the arts and culture of the world."

Kurapica paused his reading to pay close attention at Senritsu's explanation, listening with curiosity. "I see. So by becoming a patron, they can gain prestige, status, influence and notary. That's gives them reason enough to spend money on artists."

He paused to quickly search for something at the end of the pile of pamphlets, taking out some of the more elegant ones. These had been sent from known associations, like show rooms and theaters, to the rich families such as the Nostrads.

"And of course, if the one you're financing is fairly famous in the world, not only will you be able to easily get your investment money back, but you get even more recognition as you show that artist around in social gatherings. It does seem a quite a lot like a typical collector's behavior."

Senritsu took a look at the pretty pamphlets Kurapica had taken out from the pile. She hated to admit it, but she was excited and looking forward to it. As a bodyguard, she would be able to attend the concerts and operas that the Nostrads would be going to, places she would never be able to get in on her own. "Kurapica, what's the boss' schedule?" She also wanted to try and do two things at the same time: hunt for information on the Dark Sonata and check out the busy street performances.

Kurapica turned to her with a light smile. Tomorrow we'll be accompanying the boss to an opera, but for today nothing special is planned. I think there may be a meeting in the mansion around noon, but we weren't called to attend or surveil. In other words.."

"We can start roaming the streets for anything that might serve as a clue." Senritsu finished Kurapica's train of thought with a very excited demeanor. Kurapica nodded, glad that his friend was enthusiastic about their search, even thought it would prove particularly difficult.

With determination, he put down his cup of finished tea. "That settles it then. We'll spend the rest of the day getting the first impressions about Mirea Gadelica and from there we start gathering clues and vital information. First step is crucial; get to know the city and its Cultural Event."

Senritsu gave a light chuckle as she started eating her breakfast. "I think I can greatly help with the first assignment."

Kurapica blinked, surprised. "Senritsu… have you been to the Cultural Event before?"

"Yes, three times actually. You'll be surprised when you see it. There's really nothing quite like it." She drank from her orange juice and regarded Kurapica's deep eyes that contained his curiosity. "You'll see when we get there. I think you'll very much enjoy it, even with all the confusion."

Senritsu didn't disclose any more information, holding a light chuckle as she returned to her breakfast and Kurapica was forced to contain his curiosity, a very faint smile creeping onto his lips as he returned to the pamphlet. He wondered what Senritsu meant when she said he's liked the Event…


End file.
